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Love Swimming Again: 3 Ways Technique Can Save Your Swim

Stuck in a swim rut? The benefits of working on proper form in the water go beyond speed.

by Jennifer Ward Barber

I don't mind the odd "50 drill" thrown into a Masters swim set, but I'm not one to look forward to a full-on, technique-focused workout. And I don't think I'm alone: I have yet to hear a training partner tell me about how they nailed that catch-up drill, or hit a new sculling PR.

Most triathletes lean toward training that more obviously builds swim fitness over technique. Hammering out 200's on base minus five just "feels" like it will make you faster at your next race—at least it does for me. Part of this technique aversion might be because technique sessions can feel "easy:" the heart rate stays low while we engage our body awareness and brain. But as two recent swim analysis sessions have reminded me, you can't prioritize fitness or technique to the exclusion of the other.

"You can hammer out thousands of yards a day, but if you don’t have a good technique base you're wasting a lot of time," says Mason Bailey, owner of the newest SwimLabs location in Encinitas, Calif., which offers one-on-one sessions in top-of-the-line Endless Pools. On the flip side, Bailey adds that even the best technique in the world needs to be backed up with thorough and consistent training.

Bailey says that technique is a portion of the pie that too often gets ignored by triathletes. But it's not a magic bullet, either: "It's pretty well-established what a good stroke looks like at the distances triathletes are swimming," he says, noting correct body position and an early catch as common problem areas for triathletes. "If you can move in this direction, I guarantee that your swimming will improve," he says.

In addition to simply helping you swim faster, here are three ways that focusing on technique can contribute to your overall training and racing experience.

Variety

Drills—the foundation of technique work—help break up the monotony of pool training, especially in the winter months when open-water sessions aren't possible. If you swim alone, try following a prescribed drill workout including very specific technique goals (such as distance-per-stroke, or "swim golf") and watch the workout fly by. Grab a friend and some pool toys—tennis balls for fist drills, fins for one-armed drills, and a kickboard—and get in touch with your inner 8-year-old.

For even more variety, Jenny Lyle of Lyle Fitness Consulting in Carlsbad, Calif. takes it inside—literally. She and her partner Mike use a Vasa trainer and ergometer to help their clients (who have included such top-performing pros as Matt Reed, Leslie Patterson, and Tom Lowe) dial in technique and build endurance and power. While incorporating these dry-land tools into your training isn't necessary, they can help enrich the swim training experience overall—if supervised, Lyle adds.

Open-water confidence

This dry-land training often translates to increased confidence in the open water. "A lot of triathletes are more comfortable on land," Lyle says. "We can take them inside where they don't have to worry about breathing, and turning their head." She says that as her clients work with her on technique, they become more comfortable in the water in general.

This comfort extends to race day. By incorporating some drills into your in-water race warm-up (if available) you can help keep your heart rate level and ease your mind before arms and bodies begin to flail. This gets your muscles warmed up, and establishes that "feel for the water."

In cases where an in-water warm-up is not available, focusing on certain elements of your technique in the first few hundred yards of your swim can take your mind off the pressure of racing. Try breaking the beginning of the swim up into 30-second "concentration chunks," where you focus on different elements of your stroke. Time will go by more quickly and you'll stay calmer and in better control.

Enjoyment

Discussing the elements of good technique with a professional, and watching yourself on video, can bring a whole new dimension to swim training that's best described as "fun." When I left both of my sessions at Lyle Fitness Consulting and at the Encinitas SwimLabs, I felt a new appreciation for the way my body felt in the water. I also had a whole new set of goals to focus on.

Lyle says the key to enjoyment is to not bombard athletes with too much information at once. She usually gives athletes two or three things at a time to work on. "The majority of our clients after they've had a few sessions will text me and say 'I'm actually having fun. I like this.'"

Ready to shake up your swim with a technique focus? Follow Bailey's suggestions below to get started.

→ Get a stroke analysis. "This is key for new swimmers and triathletes, so that they don't reinforce bad habits and build poor muscle memory."

→ Incorporate drills in every workout. "Whether it's in the warm up or for a few laps in the middle of the set."

→ Speed training. "The next step is going as hard as you can and try to keep it together. Look at your run and bike training—you do interval workouts and hills. People don't tend to want to do that in swimming as much, but it's important."

Don't be afraid to spend some time getting friendly with your swim technique. There's a whole world of fun, speed, and confidence waiting for you beyond 100's on base.